My Will
by Rika24
Summary: Gekko Island is attacked and Syrup Village destroyed. Kaya manages to escape and wants to get word out to Usopp that she's alive but doesn't know how. Maybe with the help of a Barmaid and a certain crew of pirates she can.


**My Will**

**By Rika24**

**Chapter 1: Worries and Doubts**

"Pirates are coming! Pirates!" the cry broke through the mundane afternoon. Villagers out and about as well as those still indoors stopped what they were doing to watch the lone boy run through the streets, waving his arms frantically as he passed them.

"A bit late don't you think?" he heard one of them say. Yes it was later than normal, well aware that many of the villagers used their daily shouts as alarm clocks, but he couldn't wait any longer for his brothers. He'd waited all morning for them but no one ever showed. Running towards Meshi now, the only restaurant in his tiny village, he spotted the Mayor stepping out the door. Grinning, he shouted louder. "Pirates are coming! Pirates!"

"Hey!" the old man said, trying to stop him, but he ducked out of the way. He knew Mayor Mornin especially relied on the daily routine. He wasn't much of a mayor these days, but he was known as a fair and caring one. Captain once said Mornin helped him pay for his mother's doctor bills, and later paid him for odd jobs he did around town. It was important to keep routine, Captain's routine. "Where are the other two boys?" Mornin asked.

"The pirates took them hostage!" face taking on a look of mock fear before pointing at his puffed up chest, "It's my job as acting captain to rescue them." Spinning around, Pepper took off again, headed for the mansion on the hill.

"Pirates are coming! Pirates!" Pepper shouted again, his eyes were focused on the bedroom window by the tall tree, only to feel his eyes shift towards the latter. The few remaining leaves slowly falling as winter's icy grip crept ever closer. _Has it really been that long since he left us?_ Slowing at his thought, legs starting to tire, he came to a stop, eyes still focused on the tree_. He promised he'd be back,_ _I just have to keep it up until he does, someone has to_.

"Pepper!" the sharp tone of voice shocked him out of his thoughts, nearly falling flat on his face. Spinning around he found his two brothers watching him. "What are you still doing it for?" Carrot asked, his tone losing the sharpness.

Pepper grit his teeth, "I should be asking why you AREN'T! How can you just give up on him like that?"

"I'm not giving up on him." Pepper felt a bit of hope at the words, only for it to die as his brother continued, "you saw the paper, Usopp up against a Warlord AND an Admiral?" he distractedly ruffled his hair, shaking his head, "I'm just accepting the fact that Usopp is never coming back."

"You're wrong!" Pepper shouted, his wavering voice taking on a higher pitch, fists shaking. "He'll be back, and the next time we see him he'll be sitting in his favorite tree, telling Kaya a new story."

"Stop being a baby!" Carrot strode closer, grabbing Pepper's shirt collar, "just accept it!" one dark eye visible through wild lavender bangs, "even if he were still alive, I doubt he'd ever come back here anyway. The villagers don't even care that he's been missing for almost a year." Letting go, Carrot's fingers scratched at his hair, voice going soft. "what does he have to return to?"

"US!" Pepper said, "and Kaya!" his eyes moving to follow Carrot's hand, "and stop doing that!" the other boy flinched, his fingers freezing in his hair.

"Stop it," hearing the soft voice, Pepper turned his glare on the shaking blond, "please, stop." Onion's teary eyes locked with his, then turned pleadingly to Carrot. "We're the Usopp Pirates, we're supposed to stick together, no matter what."

Some of the tension left Pepper's shoulders at that, "sorry Onion," how could he forget that his little brother was there?

"We haven't been the Usopp Pirates since he disbanded the crew," _that's it_, Pepper lunged at Carrot, punching the other boy as hard as he could.

"Boys, that's enough," the feminine voice broke through the rage he was feeling, getting off the older boy he turned to see the owner of the mansion. Kaya's pale yellow coat wrapped around her shoulders, slippers damp from the cool grass. Pepper frowned, _it's too cold out here for her._ _What would Captain say if he knew we let her get sick again after finally getting better_.

"Sorry Miss Kaya, we didn't disturb you, did we?" he asked.

"I just don't like to see you boys fighting, what would Usopp say, seeing his crew behaving like this?" Pepper looked down, nudging the ground with the toe of his boot. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Carrot's hand reaching for his messy hair again and suppressed the urge to smack it away.

"Sorry," Carrot grumbled, refusing to look at her.

"Hey—" Pepper started, only to notice that someone was missing, _Oh Onion, we did it again huh?_ Planning to go find him, he turned back towards the village.

"Hold on Pepper," Kaya grabbed his shoulder, turning him to look at her, "let Onion be for a little while, I think it's best for him to calm down." Her brown eyes focused on Carrot, watching his hand twitch. Biting her lip, she looked at Pepper again. "Aren't you going to be late? Merry's waiting for you," her smile was forced. _Yup, Captain would be mad all right_, he thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Head held low, Pepper shuffled down to Merry's small dock, the weathered wood groaning with each step_. You better be all right Captain, we need you too much to lose you_, his green eyebrows furrowed, "Carrot is wrong, you'll prove it in the next paper with an even bigger bounty than before."

"Talking to yourself isn't good," Pepper jumped, looking up to see the old shipwright smiling down at him. "Now what's this about Carrot being wrong? Were you two arguing again?" unibrow curved down in worry.

"Nothing to worry about Merry," he said, "so what do you want me to do today?" hoping to change the subject. The sheep looking man stared at him for a moment before nodding towards the small building connected to the dock.

When the man refused to say anything, Pepper shrugged and walked inside. Any thoughts about his fight with Carrot evaporated the moment his eyes took in the sight before him. The dark brown wood curved up, seamlessly turning into a figure of a young man with arms crossed, a long staff resting in the crook of one arm. The back followed the curve, giving the figure an air of confident pride with head held high. Pepper felt his eyes burn as he focused on the face, even through his swimming vision he could make out who it was… because that nose was special to him and everyone that knew the owner.

"How—" his voice came out sounding like a frog. Swallowing, he tried again, "I thought we were building another Going Merry, we were following the blueprints so closely." Sniffling loudly, he wiped at his eyes to get a clearer look at the figurehead of the caravel. Usopp's form was expertly carved, larger than life, yet looked so real all the same.

"It didn't feel right to build the same ship twice," Merry's smile was clearly heard in his voice, Pepper looked back at him, the man was even looking a bit smug. "I believe Miss Kaya would appreciate this version more, don't you think?"

Pepper could only nod absently, climbing up the ladder to get closer to his captain's carved image. "What do we do next?" he asked, his hand running up the smooth replica of Sogeking's mask attached to the figure's hip. He took in all the amazing details, right down to the creases in his captain's overalls and the striped armband on the left wrist.

"I believe I'll leave the finishing touches to my apprentice," Pepper stepped back to look down at the man over the railing, only for his foot to nudge a bucket he hadn't seen earlier. "So what do you say, care to paint him?"

Tears and snot running once more, Pepper could only squeak, feeling his mouth split wider than it had in months.

* * *

The title comes from the InuYasha ending theme as I feel it's fitting for Kaya's feelings and her desire to get a message out to Usopp.

This is my first entry into my newest fandom, _One Piece_, and it's a gift fic for a friend on LiveJournal and a fellow Usopp fan. Hope you like it Asmaria!

Anyways, this fic will have scenes with Usopp and the crew as well, but we won't be seeing them anytime soon as this starts out around the Marineford War. If you're wondering about why I'm using the dub names: first off, I'm more familiar with the Funimation dub and secondly, there is a plot reason for it. As for Pepper referring to Carrot and Onion as his brothers, they are not blood related but see each other as brothers. Think Ace, Luffy, and Sabo since I see the Usopp Pirates as almost a parallel to our favorite adopted siblings.

Credit for this idea goes to a wonderful doujinshi named _Voices_ by Rengaworks, which originally sparked this idea.


End file.
